Town wants legal opinion on dangerous dog

Selectmen have given Police Chief Donald Haapakoski the go-ahead to get the town’s attorney involved with a dangerous dog, whose owners have not complied with town orders.

Animal Control Officer Laura Pease and Haapakoski agreed it is time for a legal opinion on compliance. On March 19, selectmen ordered that Buddy, a bull mastiff living at 278 Pleasantdale Road, be placed on a series of restrictions and set a two-week deadline for the requirements to be implemented.

On Feb. 3, Buddy attacked Lilly, a Bichon Frise, owned by Richard Wood, who has a heart condition and was injured trying to save his dog during the attack, selectmen were told at an earlier meeting. Wood had tied Lilly outside, and when he heard a ruckus and opened the door, he found Buddy attacking her. During the struggle, Wood was knocked to the ground and tried to cover Lilly with his body to keep Buddy from grabbing her again. Lilly died from her injuries.

Selectmen ordered Buddy to have a micro-chip implanted, be enrolled in a behavioral training program with a qualified trainer recommended by Pease, be neutered as soon as possible, not be allowed to run loose, wear a fitted metal basket muzzle whenever he is outside, and be walked on a strong lead no longer than six feet long and only by an adult.

In the 20 days between March 20 and April 9, Pease visited the home nine times to check on compliance. During those visits and related phone calls, Pease learned the breeder refused to take Buddy back after the animal control officer in his hometown was notified that dog had killed the neighbors’ dog while living in Rutland. She reported she could hear the dog barking in the garage. After her final visit on April 9, the dog’s owner called the police chief to report harassment.

In other news, DPW Director Gary Kellaher’s recommendation for the board to approve the vinyl siding bid for the town hall was accepted. The bid from Capital Siding Inc. was $23,980, which was about $8,000 below the expected cost. Kellaher said the work would start as soon as reference checks on the company were completed, and the goal is to have work competed by July 4.

Selectmen also voted to ask the Rutland Development and Industrial Commission to post no-trespass signs on the Rutland Heights property. Selectmen agreed the signs should warn people to stay off the property from dusk to dawn, so there is still the ability to walk there as well as to address the concerns of the police chief.

Selectmen have asked the solar negotiations committee to set a deadline regarding payment to the town by solar farm developers. Becker said he is receiving calls from developers who want to move ahead with their projects. The committee is supposed to decide whether to negotiate payment-in-lieu of taxes, set a tax rate for the parcels or create another type of agreement with developers. The town has three proposed large-scale projects.